Head pie - 2018 in the rear view mirror

It has been a great year for audio products and the community at large. Oodles on offer for all wallet sizes.

With a child entering daycare and another in their second year of Elementary school and some new work amongst other commitments in 2018 I decided to do less reviews than last year. Not sure If I reached my goal of doing half as much as in 2017. I think I overdid it.

Not having as much time meant I wouldnt be able to put in the right amount of hours to do the samples justice. I could just make it all up and add some pretty pictures and specs and nobody would probably know the difference.

But hey, Head pie has a reputation to maintain, ...a bad one. #headpiesucks

This involved saying no or referring some companies to Head pie contributors who have been an excellent asset and a great help this past year. Thank you my friends.

I havent listed everything I reviewed last year and may have missed a few

I liked and enjoyed. In 2018 I made an effort to only review products I was really interested in, curious about, thought would be great value or just plain excellent.

It made my job easier and less fatiguing.

Thankfully my contributors have the energy and foresight to review a wide range for the benefit of Head pie readers.

(An easy tempting option...)

Of course there is room for everything of various prices, performance and value - but in 2018 I didnt have so much time to sift the curds from the whey and focussed more on what I thought would be good for the general audiophile shopper, with the odd deviation.

All in all 2018 was a great year for audio products of all prices. We seem to be reaching a nadir of development. Of course there was some amazing mid fi and totl gear - but I think 2018 was the year when sub $300 gear really came into its own.

Also audio companies websites became more packed with information and groovy pictures. Oldies may remember not so far back when companies would sand off their dacs and amp information and not release general information like output impedance etc. now that stuff is avaliable online on their websites.

Renders some of what reviewers do obsolete.

Reviewers still serve as touch stone for many folks who dont have an audio shop near them to try out gear in person. As always read a wide variety of reviews and forum impressions to get to the general truth about a product.

All in all it has been an interesting year in audio.

Read our last year round up for an overview on how to choose and what to buy.

( I may have missed a couple and will have to go back and check - doing this on a mobile app).

....in no particular order....

iBasso IT01

Echobox Explorer

Shanling M3S

iFi Nano iDSD Black Label

Campfire Audio Cascade

Lyra Collection 150 ohm earbuds

Cozoy TAKT Pro

Opus#1S

iFi Earbuddy

Kinera Limited Edition earbuds

iBasso adapters

ALO Audio cables

Campfire Audio Cables

Alpha & Delta D6

Shozy Hibiki

Miter - Dap cases

Jomo Haka

Campfire Audio Comet

Hidizs HP1000 dac/amp

Campfire Audio Atlas

Shanling m0

iBasso DX150

iFi Audio xDSD

FiiO M7

FiiO BTR

Audirect BEAM

FiiO BTR Bluetooth amp

Campfire Audio Polaris

Lear Kaleido

Double Helix Clone Fusion cable

iBasso IT04

Hidizs AP80

TY Hi-Z 150ohm 4.4mm Bal HiFi Earbud

FiR Audio headphone/iem Vac jr

Hifi Boy OS V3

Symbio W Peel Mandarine Tips

Campfire Audio Solaris

iBasso DX120

Pretty much all I reviewed was good, great or excellent. Nothing is perfect, everything has its pluses and minuses but we must also look for what works and is functional. That which may be broken is often later fixed.

The terminally ill earphones or daps have been passed over this year due to time constraints and also lack of energy from being a father.

Looking for the best and brightest.

As usual make your own certificate and display it on your Facebook page for instant street cred.

No awards as usual because I would be forced to leave out possible excellent products I did not have a chance to listen to or review.

Theres more out there than what I have sampled in 2018 of course.

Plus there are some excellent summaries on Headfonics and Headfonia already.